No offense, but Michigan State still has enough to top Illini
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- To celebrate Tom Izzo's 53rd birthday, Michigan State presented him with a giant white-and-green sheet cake after Wednesday night's game with Illinois.
It must have taken all of Izzo's willpower not to smash his players' faces into the frosting.
At least for their tepid offensive showing.
"We had a lot of guys that got taken out of the game, and that's three-fourths credit to Illinois and a quarter blame to us," Izzo said. "It was a win. It wasn't a really pretty one, but a win's a win."
The eighth-ranked Spartans played defense as if they were starved for dessert.
With both teams setting offensive basketball back to a time before Izzo was born, Michigan State picked up a 51-41 Big Ten victory at the sold-out Breslin Center.
The Illini (10-12, 2-7) shot a season-low 30 percent from the floor.
But thanks to Calvin Brock's meaningless free throw with 10.2 seconds left, Illinois avoided its lowest point total in exactly 23 years.
"Obviously we're not an offensive juggernaut," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "I could've written the script ahead of time. I wish it wasn't the same old story.
For the fourth time in Big Ten play, including three of its last four road games, Illinois failed to protect a halftime lead. After taking a 24-20 lead into the break, the Illini managed just 17 points.
Again, Brock's free throw turned out to be huge because it allowed them to post more points than fouls (16) in the second half.
"Their half-court defense is great," said junior guard Trent Meacham, who went 1 of 6 from the field and labeled Illinois' second-half offense as "stagnant. They're switching on our guards and they made it tough for us. We couldn't find enough options to score."
Michigan State (19-2, 7-1) managed just 16 baskets on 37 percent for the night, but the Spartans made up for it at the free-throw line. The Spartans converted 11 of 12 free throws over the final eight minutes to ensure they would earn the best start in the program's 109-year history.
Meanwhile, Illinois ensured it would never get closer than 4 points by making just 3 of 12 free throws during that span.
"That's the game," junior guard Chester Frazier said. "We make those free throws and we're right in the game."
Michigan State senior Drew Neitzel hit all 7 of his free throws to finish with a game-high 15 points.
Frazier held Neitzel to 2 points in the first half, but the Big Ten's preseason player of the year went on a crucial 9-0 run to give MSU control early in the second half.
With Illinois up 26-22, Neitzel converted 3 free throws on a Frazier foul. Then he ran Frazier off multiple screens to get free for a 15-foot jumper. He capitalized on an Illini turnover for a fastbreak layup.
Finally, when the left-handed Neitzel found Brock guarding him in a transition switch, he drove to the baseline and flipped in a right-handed runner. That put the Spartans ahead 31-26 and made the crowd go wild.
"I think I did a pretty good job on him," said Frazier, whose only souvenir for the night was a 1-inch cut under his right eye.
Senior Brian Randle played with an injured right thumb that he hurt on the final play of Tuesday's practice.
"His hand's basically going to bother him the rest of the season," Weber said.